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Sunday, Jul. 05, 2009

Beat the heat before it beats you

With temperatures steadily in the 90s and more people outside for the long July Fourth weekend, it’s probably a good time to think about ways to beat the heat.

“Try to be sensible about it,” said Dr. Delanor Doyle, medical director of emergency services for The Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon. “I know we love the summer and like to be in the sun.

“But we need to take time out as much as possible to find shelter and rest and drink plenty of fluids.”

Typically, the people most vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heat stroke remain those who work outside, or who work in manufacturing plants where it’s hot inside and the heat outside in summer makes it worse.

“Generally, for the most part, it’s folks working in hot, humid environments,” said Dr. John Shivdat, chairman of emergency services for Houston Healthcare.

The problem is caused by a lack of fluid intake and an increase in body temperature, he said.

Athletes active in summer sports are also at risk as are the elderly and children. People whose medications impede the body’s ability to cool itself down are also at risk.

The best way to beat the heat is to limit exposure and to drink plenty of water, or sports drinks that replenish minerals lost from sweating.

For regular activity in mostly air conditioned environments, eight glasses of water is recommended per day, Doyle said. But construction and industrial workers, athletes and others at risk, should step up water intake, he said.

How much is enough depends on the person but a good rule of thumb is to monitor the color of your urine, Doyle said. The clearer, the more the body is hydrated, while the more yellow or dark, the body needs water, he said.

For construction, industrial workers and athletes, Doyle recommended an additional gallon of water per day while at work or during the athletic training or competition over the regular eight glasses of water needed daily to replenish fluids.

Doyle recommended keeping bottled water with you and continuously sipping on it even if you don’t feel thirsty.

The doctors also recommended wearing hats that extend over your ears and offer shade to your neck, light-colored and loosefitting clothing, and wearing sunglasses that protect your eyes from increased risk of developing cataracts from exposure to ultraviolet rays.

If you don’t have air conditioning, seek out public libraries, senior citizens centers and other public buildings to cool down, the doctors suggested. Also, avoid caffeine and alcoholic beverages when out in the heat, eat smaller meals and wear sunscreen when exposed to the sun.

If working outdoors or in an industrial environment, Shivdat recommended the buddy-system to watch over one another.

When people start to become overheated, usually it will start with muscle cramps, Shivdat said. He recommended sipping water and gentle massaging to the area affected.

Heat exhaustion can include cramping, feeling tired or exhausted, dizziness, nausea and, left unchecked, can progress into a life-threatening heat stroke, the doctors said.

When suffering from the heat, get out of the environment and seek shelter, preferably in air conditioning, remove any bulky or restrictive clothing and drink water, the doctors recommended.

Anything beyond minor cramps, Shivdat recommended getting checked out by a medical professional.

Call 911 immediately, Doyle urged, if someone exposed to the heat is experiencing slurred speech, mental capacities appear impaired or abnormal behavior is exhibited. That person probably is experiencing a full-blown heat stroke in which the body has lost the ability to sweat, he said. The person’s body will be hot when touched.

Also, keep an eye on young children, don’t leave them unattended in vehicles and check on senior citizens that you know, Shivdat said.

And don’t forget pets, he said. Don’t leave pets unattended inside cars, without access to fresh water or without shelter from the sun.